TMNT-- Disobeying Orders
by DisneyBeatleTurtlefan94
Summary: Uh-oh! It looks like our hot-headed hero-in-a-half-shell is sick with the flu! But when trouble strikes, how will the turtles manage without Raphael? Read to find out! ( fluff hurt/comfort/ family togetherness: featuring Spike!)
1. An Awful Start to the Day

Wiping the encrusted sands of sleep from their eyes, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo stretched and yawned as the trudge to the kitchen for breakfast time. Bidding each other a simple good morning as they poured their cereal and coffee, the boys slowly began to wake up their brains from their eight-hour nap.

"Mornin' Don," Leo hummed while fishing through the cupboard to find the box of Cheerios.

"Mornin', Leo," Don replied with a yawn as he poured his coffee before turning to his youngest brother to say, "Mornin', Mikey."

"Mornin', dude," Mikey recommenced cheerily while he searched through the box of Apple Jacks for the prize as he mumbled, "Mornin', Raph."

Surprised that hadn't responded to his morning greeting, Mikey looked up from his prize-searching quest to repeat himself.

"I saiiiiid," Michelangelo whined, "Good mo-"

Turning his head only to find that his brother wasn't even downstairs, the orange-clad turtle shoveled some cereal down his throat and turned to the brothers who were actually present.

"Hrrr dud'f's," Mikey chomped, "Whrr's Rff'ull?"

"Heck if I know," Donnie shrugged as he sipped his coffee, "Now that I think about it… he was a little off yesterday."

"'A little'," Leo scoffed, "C'mon, Donnie: when we had our sparring match, _Mikey_ actually beat him! …No offense, Mike-"

"Hey, none taken," Mikey replied, "A-an' after that, I thought he was gonna beat me up! But he just said 'good job' and walked away."

"Weird," Leo commented.

"Yeah," Donnie added with a pause before questioning, "…He _actually_ told you 'good job'?"

"Crazy, right," Mikey flared, "Somethin's up with that dude."

Don scratched his chin for a moment, until a thought came upon him.

"Well, he was coughing a lot last night. Maybe—"

"_Hrrk'hhmm!"_

Just as Leonardo was about to pursue his train of thought, a deep, anonymous cough racked the kitchen as an exhausted-looking Raphael trudged his way through the kitchen. However, the red clad turtle appeared to be much more worn out then usual…

With his deep green eyes staring hazily at the breakfast nook, Raphael was silent as he took his seat at the table. And, boy, did he look awful: his face was flushed, beads of sweat were stained across his forehead, and the poor guy looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. Once he sat down, all the disoriented turtle did was emanate a slight groan, a gruff sniffle, and rub his temples with his two forefingers. He just looked… painfully distracted. Worried for their hot-headed brother, the turtles stared at each other as a flood of anxiousness washed over them.

"Er, mornin', dude," Mikey began quietly as he made an attempt to get some sort of reaction from Raphael, "You want my prize?"

"Huh," Raphael mumbled as he lifted his head from his hand, "Oh. N-no thanks, pal. "

'_Pal'?_ Okay, Raphael had called Michelangelo some pretty crazy things: Sludgebreath, the Brainless Wonder, but never—ever— did he call his _'pal.'_

"How'dja sleep," Donnie inquired- though he already knew the answer.

"Um, great," the red-clad turtle lied, "L-like a bay-_heck, __**hurk-**__hem-_baby…"

As the hot-headed brother broke into a fit of coughing, Leo, Don, and Mikey shot each other a look of concern.

"Uh, Raph," Leo said slowly, "You okay? You seem a bit… beside yourself."

"Why d'ya say that," Raph responded with a cough, his throat sounding a little scratchy.

"Well, for one thing," Donnie intruded as he stared at his red-clad brother, "You're pouring hot coffee into your cereal bowl."

Looking down at his blunder, Raphael's face blushed with a low tint of burgundy underneath his already flushed cheeks. Trying to play it off, Raphael cleared his throat before he retorted back at his brothers.

"Wh-what, a guy can't try sobethin' new?!"

"Alright, quit the act, Raph," Leonardo insisted, "We know something's up. "

"He's right, Raph," Donatello added, "You're sweating profusely, your thinking is clouded-"

"L-look," Raph interrupted as he sniffled, "I'b tellin' you guys- I'b fide!"

"You sure don't sound 'fide'," Leo mimicked in a stern tone, "Raph, I think you might be coming down with somethin'."

'_Crap, they know,'_ Raphael thought to himself.

Raphael hated getting sick, but even more than that, he hate people knowing that he was sick. It was just a weird pride thing that Raphael had ever since he was little. He didn't like to be told that he was weak, and even if he was, he never liked to show it.

'_Alright, just calm down, Raph- just be cool. They can't make you talk. Just play it off; you can push through this.'_

"Wh-what," Raph protested angrily, "I-I am ndot! I feel great, I-"

"Na je nun ta so ro un in gan jo gin yo ja," a voice, which belonged to their father and sensei, Master Splinter, echoed as he made his way to the kitchen.

The turtles all turned to each other as they heard Splinter approaching the kitchen.

"Good morning, my sons," Splinter sang in a cheery voice.

"Good morning, Sensei," Leonardo said with a bow.

"Mornin', Sensei," Donatello toasted as he lifted his coffee cup to his father.

"Wassup, Sensei," Michelangelo cried, throwing up a peace sign.

"Hi, S-sen- _h-ha, heh… __**huur'Schoo**__!"_

Just after Raphael sneezed, his green eyes shot open wide with embarrassment- he _hated_ sneezing in front of his family. He couldn't explain why: it just… it showed weakness. Surprised by their brother's involuntary action, Leo, Don, and Mikey stared discerningly at Raphael quickly before turning to their father. The old, wise rat quirked his eyebrow inquisitively as he gazed upon his young pupil.

"Bless you, Raphael," Master Splinter consented, "I must say- that was quite a sneeze… Are you feeling well this morning?"

"U-uh, yeah," Raph claimed falsely as he sniffled a bit, "Great! Fresh as a daisy! I-it, er, it's just cold in here, that's all."

"Dude," Mikey interrupted, "It's July."

"Thanks for that 'Calendar-Fact-of-the-Day', Michelangelo," Raph grumbled through clenched teeth at his youngest brother.

"Your brother has a point, Raphael," Sensei added, "Are you sure you are-"

"**Yes," **Raphael intruded, a bit angrier than he intended.

"Uh," the red-clad turtle began again, "I mean, er, yes, Sensei. I-I'm alright."

Stroking his beard in curiosity, the wise rat continued to stare knowingly at his red-clad son.

"Very well," the rat proclaimed warily, "Let us proceed to the Dojo then."

Once Master Splinter had completely exited the room, Raphael gave a sigh of relief as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Rising from his chair, Raph found that he was pretty dizzy. Nearly catching himself on the breakfast nook, Raphael attempted to find his balance amongst the chair next to him. Realizing form the firm sound of Leonardo clearing his throat, the red hero-in-a-half-shell knew his brothers had seen the entire thing. Turning around slowly to find his brothers staring at him with a mixture of anger and worry in their eyes, Raph coughed a bit and began to speak.

"C'mon, fellas," Raph sniffled, "You heard what I told Splinter- I'm okay!"

"I dunno, Raph," Donnie cautioned in an anxious tone, "You don't look very well."

"-Yeah, you look kinda green," Michelangelo added as he stuck his freckled face close to Raphael's.

Feeling the glares from his elder brothers, Mikey giggled sheepishly as he realized how high the level of stupidity was in that last remark.

"I mean, like… greener than usual," the orange-clad turtle added.

"Raph," Leo began as he laid his hand on his ailing brother's shoulder, "You can barely even stand upright. Are you sure you're-"

"**For-the-last-time: YES,"** Raph exploded as he jerked his shoulder from his eldest brother, "And so help me, Leo- if I hear another word about it, your head's goin' through the wall. That goes for everyone. Now, l**et's…** **go**."

With one shaky, uneven step after another, Raphael made his way to the training room with his brothers travelling close behind him. As they began their sparring practice: paired with Leonardo on Donatello and Raphael on Michelangelo, the blue and purple-clad turtles engaged in conversation about Raphael once Splinter stepped out of the room.

"Whatever it is he's sick with," Donatello pondered, "He must've picked up from you back when you were… iggh… infested with _germs_!"

"Excuse me, _'Infested,'_" Leo retorted furiously, "I had a little cold, Donnie! And it was gone by the next morning-"

"Thanks to my doctoring," Donnie smiled confidently.

"'**Doctoring'**," Leo huffed, "You wouldn't even come near me without carrying a bottle of disinfectant with you!"

"Uh, guys," Michelangelo uttered, trying to break up the quarrel.

"Like I always say- better safe than sorry," Donnie replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Then '**sorry' **that every little sniffle is considered a 'germ-invasion' to you!"

"_Guys,"_ Mikey repeated in a slightly louder tone.

"Well," Don shot back, "Excuuuuuse me for trying to live a **sanitary life**!"

"More like a 'germaphobic' life," Leo mumbled.

"**Guys!"**

"**What, Mikey," **Leonardo and Donatello replied ferosciously.

"Raph… doesn't look so good," Mikey muttered worriedly, gesturing over to Raphael.

As he stood doubled-over in a bout of coughing and sneezing, Raphael looked up with weary eyes tearing as he tried to regain control of himself. With his brothers rushing toward him, the red-clad turtle knew that he had to be tough: he couldn't let his brothers see him like this.

"I- _h'huh-shoo_! I-I'm f-_fi-ha, h-hup'__**tchoo**_! Fine- _eh, ah-__**Ha'schoo**__!"_

'_I can't do this,'_ Raph thought as he started to breathe heavily, _'Not here… not in front of the guys. Oy, my head- my throat- my everything! Gotta push through, I just-'_

"Raph, **Raphael.**"

As his name echoed through the air, Raphael looked up to find the source of the voice was a three-headed: no, six-head: no- back to three-headed Leonardo.

"You alri-ri-ri-right," the Leonardo heads asked.

"Hang on, du-du-du-dude," the Michelangelo heads exclaimed.

"Sensei-sei-sei-sei," the Donatello heads cried.

"N-no," Raphael slurred, " 'm fine. Jus'…jus' stop spinnin' the room, will ya?"

"My sons," Master Splinter urged as he rushed into the Dojo, "What is wrong?"

"_Nothing."_

"Raph!"

"**Nothing,** Leo. For the last time, I am perfectly-"

Just as Raphael was about to finish his sentence, a strange yet familiar feeling erupted in his stomach. As he tried with all his might to battle with this feeling, his efforts were made futile as the contents of Raphael's stomach pour out of his body and onto the training room floor. Wobbly and disoriented, the red-clad turtle looked up quickly at his family, heaved a low, deep sigh, and felt the energy within his body melt away as he began to pass out.

"Woah, Raph!" Leo cried as he caught his brother before he hit the ground, "Guys- a little help.

"Easy- easy buddy," Donnie muttered as he helped Leonardo lay their ailing brother to the ground, saying, "We gotcha, pal."

Laying his palm on his brother's blazing forehead, Donatello furrowed his brow as he murmured, "Man, he's burnin' up, guys."

"What should we do, Sensei," Mikey asked as he stared concernedly at Raphael.

Gazing upon his ailing son, Master Splinter knelt down to Raphael's level. As his long, bony hand rested atop Raphael's feverish head, the red-clad turtle shivered from the icy cold touch as his temperature contradicted his thinking. With his unfocused eyes staring wearily at his father, Raphael attempted to say something to the rodent. However, with a bout of coughing getting in his way, the red-clad turtle turned his head and hacked into his elbow: forcing him to remain speechless. With a worried look in his eye, the wise rat turned to Leonardo and Donatello.

"My sons," Sensei whispered quietly, "See him to the couch. We shall help him there."

Through the dojo and into living room, Don and Leo took either side of Raph and helped him to the couch.

"Michelangelo," Splinter politely ordered, "Please- fetch me a bowl of water, a wash cloth, and a thermometer."

"Hai, Sensei," Mikey saluted as he went to execute his master's duties.

Walking towards the couch, Master Splinter stood before his sons. Clearing his throat, Leonardo and Donatello quickly fled to the recliner next to the couch so they would not be caught the line of fire. With Raphael sitting on the couch, he stared guiltily up at his father as he used to when he had done something wrong as a child. As he stared at his son, Master Splinter furrowed his brow as he glared at his son.

"You claimed to be 'fresh as a daisy'," Sensei exclaimed forcefully, "These were your exact words, were they not?"

"I-I'm sorry, Sensei, "Raphael mumbled hoarsely with a cough, "B-but-"

"NO 'buts', Raphael," Splinter scolded, "You are young: your health is **essential**. If you are not feeling well, **you must rest**. This order is _not_ to be compromised, do you understand?"

"I," Raphael began before realizing that one shouldn't mess with an angry rodent, "Er, yes, Father."

"Here's that thermometer you wanted, Sensei," Mikey bubbled.

"Thank you, my… Michelangelo…"

"Yes, Sensei?"

"Tell me this: does Raphael look like a turkey?"

Staring at his brother, Michelangelo knew the answer he wanted to give (especially since Raphael was too sick to beat him up). However, the freckle-faced turtle sighed, and gave the appropriate reply to his master's question.

"No, Sensei," Mikey moaned.

"Then please explain why you have brought a turkey thermometer to me?!"

"Well," Michelangelo explained, "I knew I had to be quick… aaand I had to get a bowl of water an' a rag from the kitchen anywaaaay… so, I figured we could just use this!"

Studying the thermometer of poultry, Donatello perked up, "Y'know, Sensei, it's not a bad idea. I mean, if it says 'baste' or 'marinate', then we know it's a… _clucking_ fever."

Though the others hardly found the joke funny, Donnie began cracking up at his own joke. Not finding the joke very funny, Splinter squinted his eyes and gave his purple-clad son the Kanji Glare of Shame. Immediately ceasing his laughter, Don stared at the ground as his cheeks turned pink. After Leonardo brought back the proper thermometer, Raphael sat with the medicinal temperature-measuring device under his tongue impatiently.

"Mmmmrrrfffppp," Raph mumbled, "IIIrrrrmrrrfff-"

"Uh-uh-uh," Mikey tisked as he waggled his forefinger in front of his brother, "No talking with the thermometer in your mouth. But don't worry- while you wait, would you like me to tell you one of my video game stories?"

"Mrrrrfffmmm! Nrrrrrr!"

"You _would_?! Why, I'd be happy to! Okay it began at Level 7 of 'Throne Quest'-"

While Raphael endured his torture, Master Splinter, Leonardo, and Donatello grouped behind the couch as they discussed the red-clad turtle's condition.

"Donatello," Sensei questioned, "Do you have a diagnosis?"

"Well," Donnie replied reluctantly, "His symptoms are dizziness, coughing, sneezing, sniffling, vomiting: basically, the poor guy's got everything under the sun. If the fever confirms it, then I'm thinking it's the flu."

"How long before he's cured," Leo inquired worriedly.

"Usually, it takes about seven to ten days before-"

"'_**Srrvvn trrr trrrnnn drrrrsss'**_!"

"**Raphael**," Splinter reprimanded, "Do not speak until you hear the-

'BEEP!' Off went the thermometer. Applying his sanitary rubber gloves, Donatello removed the thermometer from his brother's mouth. As the purple-clad turtle studied the number, he sighed sorrowfully.

"What's it say, Doc," Michelangelo questioned.

"Welp, it's a fever," Donnie huffed, "'One-hundred and two point nine' to be exact."

"What," Leonardo exclaimed, "That's crazy!"

"Yeah," Michelangelo added, "And we're cold-blooded!"

"Exactly, Mikey," Donatello replied, turning back to his sick brother, "So, Raph: it looks like you are afflicted with Orthomyxoviridae."

Staring at each other blankly, Leo, Mikey, and Raph simultaneously exclaimed, "**What?"**

"Uh, y'know, the Flu," Donnie reaffirmed.

"A-are you sure, Do- _huh, heh- Hrr'__**schooo**_!" Raphael said with a sneeze.

"**Aaaah**! GERMS! " Donnie hyperventilated as he quickly sprayed the area with Lysol before replying shakily, "Y-y-yeah, p-positive. I-I'm, er, I'm just gonna stand over here now."

Rushing behind Michelangelo, Donnie murmured sheepishly, "All the professionals recommend plenty of fluids and at least a week of bed rest… Sorry, Raph."

Just after he sighed with disappointment, Raphael began to cough quietly as he looked up at his father.

"Master Spli-hinter," Raph choked hoarsely, "I _can't_ stay in bed for an entire week. I-I'll go nuts!"

"Raphael, there is no debating it," Splinter insisted quietly, "You are quite ill, my son. And only with the proper rest will you be brought back to health. Now- lay down your head, and rest."

"But Sensei-"

"This is an **order** from you Master, Raphael—_**not**_ a suggestion," Splinter scolded.

Staring at his son, Splinter softened his eyebrows as the pain in Raphael's eyes inflected his soul. His son look so weak, so ill: it killed him inside. Heaving a deep sigh, the wise rat brought himself down to Raphael level.

"Your body and spirit need recuperation, my son," Splinter uttered softly, "You _must_ rest."


	2. Trouble Afoot

"_Your body and spirit need recuperation, my son," Splinter uttered softly, "You must rest."_

Sighing back, Raphael gave a disgruntled cough as he obeyed his master and rested on the couch. Across his son's forehead, Splinter pressed a cool wash cloth to help calm his fever. Among the many things his brothers brought out to him (such as a tissue box, his T-Phone, some comic books, and Spike), Raphael turned over to the coffee table where the little turtle rested and spoke to his small pet.

"This stinks, Spike," Raph huffed gruffly, "A whole week of just sittin' on the couch. Listen: if I start to lose my mind… will you still be my friend?"

Looking up from the corner of a comic book he was chewing on, Spike stared at his master for only a moment, and then continued to chomp on his supper.

"Thadnks, Spike," Raphael sniffled as he reached for a tissue.

Blowing his nose loudly, Raph noticed out of the corner of his eye a large mass of green pass behind the couch. Turning around abruptly, Raphael caught his three brothers red-handed as their attempt to sneak passed him was foiled.

"Aha!"

"W were, uh," Mikey slurred as he hunted through his idea of excuses, "We were just, um, we were gonna-"

"-Get pizza," Donnie insinuated.

"Yeah," Mikey nodded in affirmation, "That's it! We-"

"Can it, dorks," Raph sighed desolately, "I know you're goin' on patrol."

"Aw, c'mon, Raph," Leo ensured his brother quietly, "It's just a week. Time'll fly by, you'll see!"

"Yeah," Raph scoffed, "It'll be up there with the pigs, too, right?"

"I don't get it," Mikey whispered to Donnie.

"It's an expression," Donnie replied quietly.

"We shouldn't be gone long," Leo began, "April just called us and said-"

"Um, excuse me," Donnie intruded, "_Who_ did she call?"

"Ugh, fine," Leo grumbled, "She called **you**, Donnie."

"That's right," Donnie laughed as he whipped out a picture of April from inside his shell.

"It's like we're connected," Donatello sighed lovingly, holding the picture tight against his plastron.

"Uh, dude," Mikey cringed, "You're creepin' me out."

"And we have to get going," Leo insisted as he turned to his ailing brother, "Sorry, Raph. We'll try to come home soon: promise. Feel better!"

"Rest up, bro," Mikey cried as he followed his brother up the escape route.

"I hope you blood cells continue to fight the viral war that is plaguing your body," Donnie shouted just before he vanished.

Sighing to himself, Raphael picked up Spike from the coffee table.

"Looks like it's just you an' me buddy," Raph mumbled, "So, _**hurk-hmm**_, whaddya wanna do?"

Looking up at Raphael, Spike's eyes began to droop as he drifted off into a nice nap.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Raph nodded with a yawn.

Before no time at all, both turtles were lost in a contented slumber.

…That is, until about two hours later when Raph's T-Phone rang.

It had to be about ten o'clock, and combining the offsetting of his internal clock with his fever, Raphael was pretty disoriented right about now. Grumbling, the sickly turtle picked up the phone, and with his green eyes hazy from the fever, Raph could just barely make out April's picture appearing on the screen. Though his voice was weak, the teenager cleared his throat, and answered the call.

"Huuullo," Raphael slurred huskily, "W't's up, Apr'l?

"Raph, thank goodness," April exclaimed in an anxious tone of voice, "We've got trouble! Th- hey, are you alright? You don't look so good."

"F-fine. Whuh-_hur'__**gxt**__'shh, _ugh_," _Raph began as he stifled a sneeze, "Wh-where are you?"

"A factory on the corner of sixth and Compton way: second floor," she replied, "There was some kind of incident, and Karai, a-and the boys: Leo and Mikey and-"

"-Donnie, right. Thanks April, but I know their names," Raph urged to get the full story, "Now what about 'em?"

"Th-they're trapped," April cried, "Karai tied them up to this crane-thing! Now she has them dangling over some ooze-stuff, and-"

"'Ooze'", Raph repeated worriedly, "A-are they alright? Are _you_ alright?"

"They're just hanging there, I'm fine," she replied, "I managed to escape, but…hey, **hey**! Get **off** of me! Get **off**! **Raphael, he-"**

And with that, the connection was lost. Raphael didn't hesitate for a second: he knew where he had to go, and he knew what he had to do. He wasn't about to just lie in bed while his brothers and April were in danger! Hopefully, Master Splinter would forgive him. However, right now, he didn't even care. He just cared about saving his family. Though he was a little dizzy when he first stood up, Raphael shook it off and leapt into action.

The address wasn't too far from the turtles' lair, but when you're rooftop-running with a spiked fever in the middle of July, you tend to get a little winded. Raphael tried to ignore the disorientation he was feeling: his throat was on fire; his stomach was nauseous, he need a doctor if not the entire hospital!

"Just…another…block," Raphael murmured out loud as he hopped his final rooftop.

Just like Raphael's fever, things were burning up inside the factory. With a large vat of radioactive ooze below them, the turtles struggled to break through the cold, silver chains that Karai had tied them up in. As the Kraang bots guarded April's incarceration, Karai cackled wickedly as she stared up at the boys in green.

"'Heroes-in-a-half-shell, huh," Karai scoffed, "More like '_zeroes_-in-a-half-shell' to me."

"How original," Michelangelo cried sarcastically, "…NOT!"

Unappeased, Karai whipped out the remote control to the crane and lowered the turtles another five feet. Screaming in terror before the crane jolted them at the destined length, Donatello and Leonardo glared at their little brother disapprovingly.

"Okay," Donnie huffed angrily, "_You_ don't get to talk anymore!"

"Ha ha," Karai laughed evilly, "Any last words, turtles? Preferably ones that describe the location of your hideout."

"Never, Karai," Leo replied angrily, "You'll never get us to tell!"

Pressing the button again, Karai sent the boys down another five feet closer to their doom.

"Okay," Donatello choked out after, "Okay, **you** don't get to talk, _either_!"

"Are you sure you don't wanna talk, Leonardo," Karai inquired cooly, "You're not exactly in any position to argue, are ya sweety?"

"S-sweety," Leo blushed, "Uh, well, I- er, no! No, we're keeping quiet!"

"In that case," Karai responded, "Let's see just how close you are to your doom."

After pressing the button twice, the turtles were now a mere five feet from the boiling leak.

"No," April cried from her small jail cell, "No, you can't do this!"

"Zip it, Red," Karai snapped as she order the Kraang to stand aside, "You're lucky: I'm gonna let you watch your friends go in before you do. I wonder what a bratty, little red-headed girl will mutate into?"

"You'll never get away with this, Karai," April yelled angrily.

"Who's gonna stop me," Karai laughed.

"Turn around and you'll find out."

Jolting her head, Karai found the source of the voice to be none other than the fourth ninja turtle. Though she was surprised and shocked, Karai only wore a cool smile on her face.

"Raphael, isn't it," she asked condescendingly, "Nice of you to join us. What brings you here."

"Oh, I dunno," Raphael responded, drawing his sais in combat formation, "Just to chat, and, uh- oh yeah, **to save my family**."

"Raph, what're you doing here," Leo cried from above.

"Yeah, dude," Mikey added, "You gotta rest!"

"You're in no condition to-," Donnie began before stopping abruptly.

It was too late. Karai had all the information she needed; and she knew that a unwell turtle meant an easy fight.

"Aww," Karai cooed mockingly, "You're sick? That's a shame. But you're in luck-"

Raising the remote high in the air, she threatened, "I was just about to make some soup."

Lunging at Karai, Raphael had successfully knocked the remote from her grip. As it rested on the floor, the wicked kunoich and the teenage ninja began their own separate brawl. While the two fought strong, Raphael's weak, infected body soon started to go against him. The fight was going well… for Karai.

"I didn't know freaks could get sick," Karai exclaimed as she attempted to slash Raphael with her katana.

"I'm not sick," Raphael retorted angrily, "I'm just-**hur'hmm**- j-just a little under the weather, that's all."

"Yeah, right," Karai responded as she flipped Raph flat on his back with her Katana against his neck, muttering, "If you weren't sick, that wouldn't have been so easy. Or… would it?"

Staring up at Karai trying to hide the inhibitions he was feeling, Raphael was stuck. He knew he could think of a plan, but this darn flu gave him a headache that had his thoughts spinning. Why did he leave the comfort of his couch?

"Now, let me ask you," Karai forced out as she drew her blade closer against Raphael's forest green neck, "Does the sick, pathetic, **weak** turtle have any last words?"

"Y-yeah," Raphael grumbled with a sniffle, "D-do you have a tissue?"

"What," Karai asked angrily, "Why?"

"I- _snnff_- I-I ha-_**huh**_, I hafta sn-sneeze," Raphael gasped deeply, "_**Ah**_- I _**nuh**_-neeed to c-cover my nose…"

"Nice try, turtle," Karai sneered, "You're time has just run—"

"_N'__**yah**__, hah, __**he**__h_…_**HUUUh'rrROH'SCHuuuUUUUOOOH**_!"

"Agh! Gross! Ah, oh disgusting, mutant germs! This is is-"

As Karai continued her frenzy of screeching, the turtles and April cheered as Raphael grabbed the remote. Pressing the designated buttons, the red-clad turtle unlocked April's prison door, closed the vat of ooze with its titanium platform and lowered the crane so the turtles could reach it.

"Raph," April exclaimed as hugged the big hero.

"Uh, don't get too close, April," Raph insisted, "Unless you want the flu, that is. Are you alright?"

"Fine," April replied with a frown, "Aw, but Raph- I had no idea you were so sick! If I knew-"

"Look, we can talk later," Raph interrupted as he felt the cold stare of Karai over his shoulder before persisted, "But right now, you need to get outta here. Understand?"

"But-"

"Good," Raph ensued as he whipped out his sais and began to charge at Karai.

He noticed, however, his strength was drained, he could barely move! With one punch, Raph was down.

"Pff, look at you," Karai scorned, "So pathetic. So **weak**. You're not _nearly_ strong enough to fight me on your own-"

"**Good thing he doesn't have to."**

And with one clean sweep-kick, Leonardo knocked Karai right off her feet and out like a light. Excited to see their ill brother was okay, Leo, Don, and Mikey ran to Raphael and praised him for all he'd done.

"Atta boy, Raph," Donnie exclaimed while patting Raphael on his shell.

"High three, bro," Mikey cried as he rose his hand up for a congratulatory expression.

As Raphael raised his hand, he stopped midway to catch a coughing fit in his hand. Looking into his brother's eyes, Leonardo noticed how exhausted and sick he felt. With his pale body shaking like a leaf, Leo brought the backside of his hand gently to his brother's smoldering hot forehead.

"Ooh, guys," Leo said in a hushed voice to his brothers, "He's still got a spiked fever.

"Aw, poor guy," Mikey hummed, "You really don't feel good, do ya?"

Going to reply to his little brother, Raphael felt that same dizzy feeling he experienced just before passing out earlier; and his brothers could tell. Rushing over, Donnie grabbed his feverish brother before he fell. He didn't even care that Raph was sick and infested with germs: he just wanted him to be okay.

"Hang in there, buddy," Donatello murmured, "You're gonna be just fine. Just stay with us, alright?"

Nodding tiredly, Raphael looked wearily up at his brothers, and then sighed heavily as he tried to keep his composure.

"Let's get him home," Leo ordered before he helped Donnie grab Raphael, saying, "We gotcha, Raph. Just hang in there."


	3. Back in the Sewer

"_Let's get him home," Leo ordered before he helped Donnie grab Raphael, saying, "We gotcha, Raph. Just hang in there."_

This was the last thing Raphael heard before he blacked out. Once he came to, he was miraculously back in his sewer home. As his blurred vision became clear, the sick turtle found (to both his pleasure and dismay) his father staring down at him with a look of concern on his brow.

"S-sensei," Raph mumbled hoarsely, "I, I shouldn't've disobeyed you, b-but-"

"Shh," Splinter hushed as he removed the rag from his forehead.

Sitting up slightly, Raph noticed his three brothers standing with April waving to him as he stirred.

"Hey, look who's up," Donnie cheered quietly with a smile.

"How you feelin', bro," Mikey asked concernedly.

"Er, the same," Raph replied just before glancing at Splinter.

"Guys… Is Splinter mad?"

"No, he is not," Splinter responded with a smile as he brought a bowl of soup to his son, "Now lie back down."

"B-but Sensei-"

"**Raphael**," Sensei urged as his son laid down and the wise rat laid a fresh wash cloth on his head.

"Believe me, my son," Splinter continued contentedly, "I had **every** intent to punish… That is, until Miss O'Neil explained the scenario."

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier," April intruded, "When I asked the guys where you were when they arrived at the factory, there was no time for them to explain. If I had known you were so sick, I would've never called to tell you the guys were in trouble! I would've called Splinter or something."

"Regardless," Splinter added, "Because you disobeyed my orders… you have saved your brothers' lives. I am, under no circumstances, angry with you, Raphael… so long as you make me a promise to remain in bed for the next seven days."

"I swear," Raphael saluted, "I—_uh, ehh…__**hu'Hup'xgt'schoo**__!_ Ugh, man!_"_

"That reminds me," April replied as she fished through her bag, "I still felt really bad when I left the scene of the crime. Sooo, I got you something!"

Within seconds, April pulled from her school bag a bottle of flu medicine. Surprised and shocked, Raphael only stared at it blankly.

"It's medicine," April stated.

"Never heard of it," Raph shrugged.

"Here," April said as she poured the red liquid into the designated medicine cup, "It'll make you feel better."

"Ooh, and look, Raph," Donnie cooed condescendingly, "It's red! Your favorite color."

"Don't patronize me," Raph scorned as he took the medicine cup, "Unless you wanna end up like Karai.

"Ugh, that was mortifying to watch," Donnie cringed.

"But it's kinda cool when ya think about it," Mikey laughed, "I mean, c'mon: who else besides us can say that they've been saved by a sneeze?"

"Mikey's got a point there," Leo chuckled, "This flu of yours sure did save the day, didn't it Raph? …Raph?"

"Shh," April hushed as she pointed to a snoring Raphael.

With the medicine now out of the cup and inside the sick, red-clad turtle, Raphael was finally receiving that rest he deserved that day. Watching Raph as he slept, Master Splinter noticed the young turtle shivering thunderously. He then laid the thick, white comforter over his ailing son's body; only to see a subtle smile form on his face.

"Aw," Mikey fussed, "He's actually kinda cuddly-looking when he's not beating me up."

"Wow, he is out," Leo gestured.

"Well, of course," Donnie replied, "His body's been fighting negative microorganisms all day. Not to mention the battle with Karai: poor fella's gotta be exhausted.

"Shhh," Splinter whispered, "Boys, let us leave your brother to sleep. It is time that he learn the importance of rest."


End file.
